Zambia: Woman Cornered in India for Drugs

A ZAMBIAN woman was on Christmas Day arrested in New Delhi, India, for being in possession of 41.5 kilogrammes of narcotics worth about US$510,000.

Emmely Chilonga Chibuye, 32, was found with the narcotics at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as she was about to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Zambia through Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

Zambia's Deputy High Commissioner to India Bwalya Nondo said Ms Chibuye was intercepted by the Central Industrial Security Force and handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau.

Deputy Commissioner of Customs Sandeep Rawal in India also confirmed the arrest of Ms Chibuye who was found with 41.5 kilogrammes of psychotropic substances.

In the wake of the arrest, Zambia's High Commissioner to India Susan Sikaneta has advised women against being used by drug pushers.

Ms Sikaneta said Zambia had a good reputation in the eyes of the international community which must be safeguarded.

"The Zambian Mission in New Delhi is warning Zambians especially young ladies to be wary of being used in drug-peddling as the scourge is not only embarrassing to the nation and degrading to the individual, but also a serious offence which attracts severe penalties in Asian countries," she said.

Meanwhile, the Indira Gandhi Technological and Medical Sciences University, the Global University of Nagaland and the World Congress Management Committee have jointly conferred the Green Diplomacy Award on Zambia.

Mr Nondo said in a statement that the award, which is also in recognition of the country's efforts in cleaning and greening the environment, also extolled Zambia's commitment to the cause of addressing climate change.

The award was presented by India's Union Minister of Water Resources Harish Rawat and was received at the weekend by Ms Sikaneta at the 33rd World Management Congress whose theme was 'New Challenges and Dimensions'.

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